Oral rehabilitation device

ABSTRACT

An oral rehabilitation device includes a first lip support having first outer and inner bearing walls, a first bearing face formed on the first inner bearing wall for stopping against the patient&#39;s upper lip and a plurality of first openings capable of undergoing elastic deformation for enabling the first bearing face to be constantly kept in contact with the patient&#39;s upper lip, a second lip support having second outer and inner bearing walls, a second bearing face formed on the second inner bearing wall for stopping against the patient&#39;s lower lip and a plurality of second openings capable of undergoing elastic deformation for enabling the second bearing face to be constantly kept in contact with the inner side of the patient&#39;s lower lip.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to oral rehabilitation technology and moreparticularly, to an oral rehabilitation device, which is elasticallydeformable to fit the oral cavities of different patients and to keep inclose and gentle contact with the mucous membranes of the mouth,facilitating positive movement of facial muscles.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many oral and facial nerve rehabilitation implements are commerciallyavailable for assisting a patient with facial nerve damage to train theorbicular muscle of the mouth in exercising the surrounding facialmuscles. By means of training the facial muscles, restoration andmaintenance of the oral function can be achieved. However, when aconventional oral or facial nerve rehabilitation implement is put in themouth of a patient for muscle training, it simply acts upon the musclesaround the lips without imparting any pressure to the junctions betweenthe mucous membranes of the mouth and the gums. During the lip motion,the oral or facial nerve rehabilitation implement may be forced to rubagainst the junctions between the mucous membranes of the mouth and thegums, causing oral injury or making the patient feel uncomfortable.Further, if the oral or facial nerve rehabilitation implement does notfit the user's oral cavity, it will not be kept in positive contact withthe junctions between the mucous membranes of the mouth and the gums,causing the border areas of the mucous membranes of the mouth unable tobe continuously exercised.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances inview. It is the main object of the present invention to provide an oralrehabilitation device for putting in the oral cavity of a patient fortraining the muscles of the lips, which has an elastic return structureto keep the oral rehabilitation device in positive contact with thejunctions between the mucous membranes of the mouth and the gums,reducing friction.

To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, an oralrehabilitation device comprises a first lip support, which comprisesfirst outer and inner bearing walls respectively upwardly extended fromtwo opposite sides thereof, a first bearing face formed on the distalend of the first inner bearing wall for stopping against the inner sideof the patient's upper lip and a plurality of first openings cut throughthe first inner bearing wall and capable of undergoing elasticdeformation for enabling the first bearing face to be constantly kept inpositive contact with the inner side of the patient's upper lip, asecond lip support, which comprises second outer and inner bearing wallsrespectively downwardly extended from two opposite sides thereof, asecond bearing face formed on the distal end of the second inner bearingwall for stopping against the inner side of the patient's lower lip anda plurality of second openings cut through the second inner bearing walland capable of undergoing elastic deformation for enabling the secondbearing face to be constantly kept in positive contact with the innerside of the patient's lower lip, and a connection portion connectedbetween the first lip support and the second lip support.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an oral rehabilitation device inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 corresponds to FIG. 1 when viewed from another angle.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an oral rehabilitation device inaccordance with a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of an oral rehabilitation device inaccordance with a third embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of an oral rehabilitation device inaccordance with a fourth embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, an oral rehabilitation device in accordance withthe present invention is shown for putting in the mouth of a patient totrain the muscles of the tongue and throat. The oral rehabilitationdevice comprises a first lip support 1 and a second lip support 4oppositely arranged at different elevations for supporting the upper lipand the lower lip respectively, and two elastically recoverable elasticconnection portions 7 bilaterally connected between the first lipsupport 1 and the second lip support 4. In this embodiment, the twoelastic connection portions 7 are smoothly arched.

The first lip support 1 comprises a first outer bearing wall 2 and afirst inner bearing wall 3 respectively upwardly extended from twoopposite sides thereof, a first bearing face 31 formed on the distal endof the first inner bearing wall 3, a plurality of first openings 32 cutthrough the first inner bearing wall 3 and being capable of undergoingelastic deformation, and a plurality of elastic ribs 33 respectivelydisposed between each two adjacent first openings 32. In thisembodiment, the first openings 32 are arranged in two symmetrical seriesin an equally spaced manner.

The second lip support 4 comprises a second outer bearing wall 5 and asecond inner bearing wall 6 respectively downwardly extended from twoopposite sides thereof, a second bearing face 61 formed on the distalend of the second inner bearing wall 6, a plurality of second openings62 cut through the second inner bearing wall 6 and being capable ofundergoing elastic deformation, and a plurality of elastic ribs 63respectively disposed between each two adjacent second openings 62. Inthis embodiment, the second openings 62 are arranged in two symmetricalseries in an equally spaced manner.

During application of the oral rehabilitation device, the patient'supper lip and lower lip are respectively rested on the first lip support1 and the second lip support 4, enabling the first inner bearing wall 3and the second inner bearing wall 6 to be respectively secured betweenthe mucous membranes of the mouth and the gums and the elasticallyrecoverable elastic connection portions 7 to be stopped between the leftand right cheeks inside the oral cavity. When the patient closes thelips, the first bearing face 31 of the first lip support 3 and thesecond bearing face 61 of the second lip support 6 will be stoppedbetween the mucous membranes of the mouth and the gums. The large areacontact between the first bearing face 31 and second bearing face 61 ofthe oral rehabilitation device and the mucous membranes and gums of thepatient makes the patient's mouth feel soft and comfortable. Thus, whenmaking a lip-closing motion, the junctions between the mucous membranesof the mouth and the gums can be positively and continuously moved, and,when the first bearing face 31 and the second bearing face 61 arecompressed during the lip motion, the first openings 32 and the secondopenings 62 are elastically deformed, causing the first elastic ribs 33and the second elastic ribs 63 to impart different return force to thefirst bearing face 31 and the second bearing face 61 respectively. Thus,the first bearing face 31 of the first lip support 3 and the secondbearing face 61 of the second lip support 6 are constantly kept in closecontact with the junctions between the mucous membranes of the mouth andthe gums during the lip motion, avoiding friction between the oralrehabilitation device and the inner side of the patient's mouth. Whenthe patient opens the lips, the elastic restoration ability of theelastically recoverable elastic connection portions 7 facilitatesreciprocating motion of the first lip support 1 and the second lipsupport 4 to stretch the orbicular muscle of the mouth in dragging thesurrounding facial muscles. Thus, by means of stopping the first innerbearing wall 3 and the second inner bearing wall 6 against the borderareas of the mucous membranes of the mouth for enabling the return forceof the first elastic ribs 33 and the second elastic ribs 63 to bepositively acted upon the border areas of the mucous membranes of themouth, the vertical and horizontal reciprocating motion of the orbicularmuscle of the mouth can effectively drag all the facial muscles tostimulate the facial nerve.

FIG. 4 illustrates an oral rehabilitation device in accordance with asecond embodiment of the present invention. This second embodiment issubstantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with theexception that the oral rehabilitation device of this second embodimentfurther comprises a first operating portion 21 outwardly extended fromthe first outer bearing wall 2, a retaining loop 22 located on thedistal end of the first operating portion 21 remote from the first outerbearing wall 2, a second operating portion 51 outwardly extended fromthe second outer bearing wall 5, and a retaining tab 52 located on thedistal end of the second operating portion 51 remote from the secondouter bearing wall 5. After put the oral rehabilitation device into themouth of the patient and plugged the retaining tab 52 at the secondoperating portion 51 into the retaining loop 22 at the first operatingportion 21, the patient can push and pull the first operating portion 21and the second operating portion 51 to move the muscles around the lips,thereby dragging all the facial muscles.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of an oral rehabilitation device inaccordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. Accordingto this third embodiment, an elastic return member (for example, curvedspring plate) 8 is connected between the first outer bearing wall 2 andthe second outer bearing ball 5 to substitute for the aforesaidelastically recoverable elastic connection portions 7 and forautomatically returning the first outer bearing wall 2 and the secondouter bearing ball 5 to move the orbicular muscle of the mouth indragging all the muscles around the lips after the first outer bearingwall 2 and the second outer bearing ball 5 having being compressedduring the patient's lip motion.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of an oral rehabilitation device inaccordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Accordingto this fourth embodiment, two elastic return members (for example,compression springs) 9 are connected in parallel between the first lipsupport 1 and the second lip support 4 to substitute for the aforesaidelastically recoverable elastic connection portions 7 and forautomatically returning the first lip support 1 and the second lipsupport 4 to move the orbicular muscle of the mouth in dragging all themuscles around the lips after the first lip support 1 and the second lipsupport 4 having being compressed during the patient's lip motion.

In conclusion, the invention provides an oral rehabilitation device,which is characterized in that the first lip support 1 comprises aplurality of first openings 32 cut through the first inner bearing wall3 and capable of undergoing elastic deformation, and a plurality ofelastic ribs 33 respectively disposed between each two adjacent firstopenings 32; the second lip support 4 comprises a plurality of secondopenings 62 cut through the second inner bearing wall 6 thereof andcapable of undergoing elastic deformation, and a plurality of elasticribs 63 respectively disposed between each two adjacent second openings62; when the first inner bearing wall 3 and the second inner bearingwall 6 are compressed, the first openings 32 and the second openings 62enable the first bearing face 31 of the first lip support 1 and thesecond inner bearing wall 6 of the second lip support 4 to beelastically deformed to fit the curvature of the oral cavity positively,and the elastic ribs 33 and 63 of the of the first lip support 1 andsecond lip support 4 and the elastically recoverable elastic connectionportions 7 can automatically return the first lip support 1 and thesecond lip support 4 to assist the patient in opening the lips, andtherefore the orbicular muscle of the mouth can be positively moved toeffectively drag all the facial muscles in stimulating the facial nerveduring the patient's lip motion.

What the invention claimed is:
 1. An oral rehabilitation device forputting in the oral cavity of a patient for training the facial musclesof the patient, comprising: a first lip support comprising a first outerbearing wall and a first inner bearing wall respectively upwardlyextended from two opposite sides thereof; and a second lip supportcomprising a second outer bearing wall and a second inner bearing wallrespectively downwardly extended from two opposite sides thereof;wherein said first lip support further comprises a first bearing faceformed on a distal end of said first inner bearing wall for stoppingagainst an inner side of the upper lip of the patient, and a pluralityof first openings cut through said first inner bearing wall and capableof undergoing elastic deformation for enabling said first bearing faceto be constantly kept in positive contact with the inner side of theupper lip of the patient during a lip motion of the patient.
 2. The oralrehabilitation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first openingsare arranged in two symmetrical series in an equally spaced manner; saidfirst lip support further comprises a plurality of elastic ribsrespectively disposed between each two adjacent said first openings. 3.The oral rehabilitation device as claimed in claim 1, further comprisingtwo elastically recoverable elastic connection portions bilaterallyconnected between said first lip support and said second lip support. 4.The oral rehabilitation device as claimed in claim 3, wherein saidelastically recoverable elastic connection portions are smoothly arched.5. The oral rehabilitation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidsecond lip support further comprises a second bearing face formed on adistal end of said second inner bearing wall for stopping against aninner side of the lower lip of the patient, a plurality of secondopenings cut through said second inner bearing wall and capable ofundergoing elastic deformation for enabling said second bearing face tobe constantly kept in positive contact with the inner side of the lowerlip of the patient during a lip motion of the patient.
 6. The oralrehabilitation device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said secondopenings are arranged in two symmetrical series in an equally spacedmanner; said second lip support further comprises a plurality of elasticribs respectively disposed between each two adjacent said secondopenings.
 7. The oral rehabilitation device as claimed in claim 1,further comprising an elastic return member connected between said firstouter bearing wall and said second outer bearing ball for automaticallyreturning said first outer bearing wall and said second outer bearingball after said first outer bearing wall and said second outer bearingball having been moved.
 8. The oral rehabilitation device as claimed inclaim 1, further comprising two elastic return members connected inparallel between said first outer bearing wall and said second outerbearing ball for automatically returning said first outer bearing walland said second outer bearing ball after said first outer bearing walland said second outer bearing ball having been moved.
 9. The oralrehabilitation device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a firstoperating portion outwardly extended from said first outer bearing walland terminating in a retaining loop, a second operating portionoutwardly extended from said second outer bearing wall and terminatingin a retaining tab fastenable to said retaining loop.